ALAMEDA ISLAND, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–genXtraits Inc. (genXtraits) is pleased to announce that it has entered an Agreement with The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (Plant & Food Research) to apply Plant & Food Research’s proprietary technology for increasing Vitamin C levels in crops.
Under the above Agreement, genXtraits has received an option to obtain an exclusive worldwide license for Plant & Food Research patents to develop and commercialize certain crops with improved nutritional content and stress tolerance. The deal enables genXtraits to breed new enhanced varieties of tomato and other related food crops, which will serve the nutritional needs of a growing global population. Dr. Oliver Ratcliffe, Co-Founder & President of genXtraits noted, “A significant proportion of the world’s population suffers from nutritional deficiency. The proprietary genetic technology that genXtraits has licensed from Plant & Food Research fits perfectly with our in-house R&D platform and will enable the delivery of more nutritious food to billions of people. In particular, the consumption of fruit and vegetables with higher vitamin C levels enhances iron uptake and will combat anemia, which is a major problem in many countries, especially those with a predominantly vegetarian diet.”
About genXtraits: genXtraits is a California-based crop genomics company, which was founded in late 2022 by plant biotechnology industry veterans. The firm is focused on developing the next generation of crop traits, which will both protect crop yield in the face of climate change and provide consumers with more delicious and healthy food choices. For more information, please visit: https://genxtraits.com/
About Plant & Food Research: The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited is a Crown Research Institute established under the Crown Research Institutes Act 1992. Plant & Food Research uses world-leading science to support the food sector in improving ways to grow, fish, harvest, prepare and share food. The organization has close to 1000 people that work across New Zealand and the world to help deliver healthy foods from the world’s most sustainable systems. For more information visit: https://www.plantandfood.com
Contacts
Dr. Oliver J. Ratcliffe (contact@genxtraits.com)
Emma Timewell, Communications Manager (emma.timewell@plantandfood.co.nz)